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To Perpignan & Beyond . . .To Perpignan & Beyond . . .
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A little trip south for a few days, nothing booked, no fixed route - just destination Perpignan and then return.
Loup is ready!! Read more
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  • Andy and Teresa MaysTo Perpignan & Beyond . . .
    1
    Day 1–2

    Day 01 15.04 . . . Setting Off

    April 15 in France ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    So today was our setting off day. We had a final few things to sort out - one of which being to put Loup’s normal house crate into Roxvanne, as his usual travel crate is now to small. With a few stiff pushes and a few swear words it went in, quickly followed by Loup straight into it ready for the off
    We set off around midday, grabbed fuel and hit the N10 south to Angoulême where we exited south east towards Périgueux.
    After just over a couple of hours we stopped in a layby so that Loup could have a natural. That completed and a short leg stretch for all of us we set off again, heading now generally towards Bergerac. On route we passed through Gout-Rossignol and saw by complete chance the first house we ever viewed when we were house hunting here in France.
    Bergerac looked very quaint with the river running through it and deserved a stop really, but we had places to go.
    We carried on past Bergerac and then made a very short stop for Loup once again, deciding we would have a longer stop and proper leg stretch at a services further south.
    The entire journey was scattered with picturesque villages and small towns and we lost count of how many rivers we crossed.
    We had decided to head for Moissac for no other reason than it was just over half way to Perpignan. Whilst at our final leg stretch at some services we checked our park4night app and found a small camp site at Les Grets which would see us through one night.
    Finally passing through Agen and Moissac (which again both deserved more time spent at them) we found ourselves crossing a strange little bridge and then onto the camp site.
    There were no staff and certainly no reception desk visible on site and so we found our way to what can only be described as a pay machine which we hoped would discharge a parking voucher to activate the very large barrier.
    To say Tre had some issues with the machine (whilst I sat in the van at the barrier with engine running) was an under statement. I listened to a good two or three tracks in the radio before I saw Tre heading back towards us. I gave an understanding smile of appreciation for her efforts and tried not to giggle at the frustrated expression that I got in return.
    So after a fairly long day we parked up, walked around a pretty much deserted camp site together with our very excited four legged wonder boy and then called it a night.
    We weren’t sure how well Loup would settle after some fairly lengthy periods in his crate during the day - although we don’t think he sleeps, just lays and listens to ensure we are still in Roxvanne with him and chills to our tunes on Spotify.
    We shall see!!

    Not that I will ever acknowledge that he has any good ideas, however I will concede that I have pinched this idea from Fister . . . Don’t ask!!
    So our song of the day is:
    Siouxsie & The Banshees - Arabian Knights (Andy’s choice)

    Also each day we are going to listen to an album that probably most people will have, or should have listened to at some point . . . But neither of us have!
    So todays album never heard before in its entirety is:
    Radiohead - Pablo Honey (Our Rating 7/10)    Read more

  • Andy and Teresa MaysTo Perpignan & Beyond . . .
    Day 2–3

    Day 02 16.04 . . . Bon Courage

    April 16 in France ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    So it rained in the night twice, which wasn’t on the weather app’s and so I hoped the cracked open windows in the front for ventilation hadn’t been breached and that we still had dry front seats.
    Loup had slept through the night without disturbing us, probably as the van is so dark, I actually woke him at 7.30.
    After a short walk we tidied up and got in our way deciding to grab a coffee and croissant on route.
    As we left Moissac we saw a very large boulangerie and purchased our immediate supplies.
    Straight onto the motorway heading south to Toulouse the weather didn’t improve and in fact either rained or was damp foggy for miles - which didn’t bode well.
    We scooted past Toulouse and although the traffic was heavy we made good time without delays.
    Further south we sighted the walled city of Carcassonne to the east of us away on the hills. Again, another lovely place to stop if you ever visit this sort of the world - luckily we have visited previously and so didn’t feel so bad flying straight past.
    Stopping at services for a leg stretch and some fresh air for Loup, we grabbed some sweets and set off again.
    We finally pulled off the motorway with the Pyrenees in sight towards Perpignan. We wanted to head straight down to the beach to give Loup a run and although the sun was now brightly shining and the temperature warming up nicely it was very windy. We had seen on the weather apps that this area was experiencing strong winds over the next few days.
    Perpignan as expected was fairly well busy as any larger town is and so without stopping we navigated our way through and out the other side heading for Saint-Cyprien and it plage/beach.
    Parked up along the beach front we immediately realised how strong the wind was as we hopped out of Roxvanne.
    Loup couldn’t believe the wind as he also exited Rox, his ears immediately flat and laid back on his head and his nose up into the air taking in the mass of smells that were obviously hitting him full on.
    We made one quick sortie into the beach to check we were ok to let Loup run before returning to Rox to get Loup’s long lead.
    Back in the beach we were immediately sand blasted with the very fine stone that was mixed with the sand on the beach. Not a good time to be wearing shorts. Tre was huddled up in her hoodie with head down trying to avoid the stinging sands.
    It was about this point that Loup who had on his long lead running charged towards me across the front of Tre before turning sharply to run past her side. The long lead trailed in his wake moving at speed like a rope on the back of a harpoon.
    Tre unfortunately saw the long lead a split second too late and despite her best efforts to jump to avoid it the lead caught hold of her left foot which was in the air and ripped it savagely outwards in an angle legs aren’t supposed to go. What made matters worse was that the other leg was also in the air (from the attempted avoidance jump). I can honestly say I have never in my life seen anyone do the splits as far as Teresa achieved in this moment. People pay good money to see the acrobats at Cirque du Soleil and Olympians win gold medals for their flexibility and movement - but this all falls way short of what I witnessed today. However all of this fantastic movement ended with a un-ceremonial crashing to the sand and a broken Teresa. Even Loup stopped still immediately - wondering quite what he had done this time.
    It was a full ten minutes before I was able to get Tre back to her feet, covered from head to foot in sand, still being sandblasted by the wind and muttering words I can’t repeat about the dog and the lead. Honestly I couldn’t stand up properly for laughing and to be fair, Tre did laugh as well once the initial agony of being ripped in two had subsided a little.
    We decided we would walk along the prom for a while and return to the beach a little later.
    The prom was actually a lovely walk and we reached a fairly large harbour area. We decided to walk back to Rox and then drive back to the harbour for a drink.
    The harbour was lovely in the sunshine and quite large, but the wind continued to batter everything in sight.
    We found a small bar in the harbour side and researched another camp site not far from Saint-Cyprien at Palau-del-Vidre.
    On arrival at Palau-del-Vidre the two ladies at reception were very welcoming and told us we pretty much had the choice of the site to choose our spot from bar about six pitches. They then only charged us a discounted rate for our pitch which you normally only get if you have a loyalty card.
    We found a pitch we liked, returned to reception to tell the ladies which spot we had chosen, before heading off to get some supplies.
    After a quick Intermarché dash we returned to the camp site and settled in for the evening.
    Sorry I forgot . . . On the way home we had to visit a pharmacy to collect the French equivalent of strong ibrufen and muscle spray for the aching leg/groin, savlon for the lead rope burn on the ankle and mosquito bite cream - that was for both of us. Apparently the lady was very concerned for Teresa after hearing of her ordeal and parted with Tre with the words ‘Bon Courage’ . . . 😂
    Back on site we sat briefly in the sun but the wind was too strong and eventually too chilly.
    We sat in Rox to eat our meal and then I took Loup for a walk whilst, Tre rested her aching limbs.
    Another day has slipped by - at one point I thought this may be our last day of this trip, but Tre has pushed through the obvious pains she has. Looks like we may still be rocking tomorrow, but let’s see what a nights sleep brings . . . and if Tre can get out of bed and actually stand tomorrow.

    Before our song of the day (chosen by Teresa today), I did really ask her to consider it being -
    Elvis Costello - I Can’t Stand Up For Falling Down 😂

    Our song of the day is:
    Crash Test Dummies - Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm (Tre’s choice)

    Todays album never heard before in its entirety is:
    Talking Heads - Remain In The Light (Our Rating 6/10)    Read more

  • Andy and Teresa MaysTo Perpignan & Beyond . . .
    Day 3–4

    Day 03 17.04 . . . Pink Salt

    April 17 in France ⋅ 🌬 10 °C

    Another quiet night with Loup until the little whine at 7am.
    Due to the injuries sustained yesterday I was fully aware last night that I would be on early dog walk AGAIN this morning - and so it was.
    We had a wander around the camp site and grabbed some photos of the Pyrenees as the sun fell on them.
    Back at Roxvanne Tre was still in bed and told me she hadn’t got up as she needed to send an urgent email . . . This continued for another good 20 minutes. It genuinely was an urgent email - so I ate humble pie.
    On climbing from Rox to visit the toilet block, I watched Tre very slowly and carefully make her way - it appears it is still painful.
    We decided to visit the salt lakes at Gruissan which is famed for its pink lakes.
    Before heading to the salt lakes we had a nose around Gruissan which had a lovely beach all overlooked by very American looking beach houses on stilts. We grabbed a coffee from a boulangerie before heading to the lakes which were on the outskirts of the town. On route we saw some flamingos in one of the numerous other lakes, just taking a stroll.
    The salt lakes at Salin de Gruissan had a small museum together with a gift shop selling all things salt, as well as many many salt variations with different additives, including garlic, pepper and mixed spices.
    After spending more than we had intended we ventured to the restaurant area which sits on the side of the lake. The lake water was distinctly pink and it became more evident dependant on how the sun fell on it and from which angle you viewed it from.
    Le Salin de Gruissan is situated between the Mediterranean Sea and a lagoon known as l’Étang de l’Ayrolle.
    Marshland was converted to salt fields that now cover an area of 400 hectares (990 acres). Sea water is pumped and travels 40km through the network. From over one hundred types of salt present in sea water, this process is able to isolate the only salt commercialised by Le Salin de Gruissan: sodium chloride.
    The area receives more than its fair share of sun and wind, which accelerates the evaporation process. As different types of salt are filtered through the fields, the colour turn from blueish green to a radiant pinkish red.
    Dunaliella salina, a micro-algae, gives Le Salin de Gruissan its gorgeous pink glow. Flamingos relish eating it and the large amounts of carotenoids produced by the algae turn their feathers pink. One of the back-salt fields is especially dedicated for flamingos who are known to reproduce happily there. An observation hut enables local wildlife authorities to study the birds.
    Visit over we drove further along the lake sides and past the heaps of salt at the side of the road, exactly as stone is saved on building sites.
    We then took a long walk along a nature path out through the lakes towards the coastline and returned with a very worn out four legged friend.
    After leaving the salt lakes we visited Narbonne Decathlon to buy a couple of jackets. We intend visiting Andorra and Tre had already spotted the evening temperatures are still in minus figures - so a couple of jackets (as we had decided not to bring any with us) we’re required.
    Jackets and further bits including a tent shade for Loup (ready for his first music festival in May) were purchased and stowed in Rox.
    We had been told Collioure was worth a visit as it was very pretty - and so we started the return journey from this morning of just over an hour back south west.
    Collioure was very pretty and well worth a stop, but it is one of the villages much like some in Cornwall where you have ti park almost in the next village and walk to the one you want to visit - as it was here. We ended up taking a very slow drive around much of the old town and down by the harbour side, eventually heading out the other side and on to another town called Port Vendres where we parked up.
    After a fairly lengthy chat to an English couple who engaged us in conversation about Loup, we had a short but hectic ‘Loup Maniac’ session around some of the harbour streets. We are sure when it is windy it effects Loup pretty much how the wind effects horses - he goes nuts about literally everything, both he and I were knackered by the time we got back to Rox.
    Port Vendres is a typical Mediterranean fishing port, situated near the Spanish border on the Côte Vermeille in southeastern France, Port-Vendres is renowned for its numerous fish and sea food restaurants. During the Second World War, the town was part of a heavily fortified coastal zone established by the occupying forces of Nazi Germany. Coastal artillery batteries were built at Cap Béar just south of the town, but the Germans abandoned the area in August 1944 a few days after the Allied landings on the Côte d'Azur during Operation Dragoon.
    We then drove from the port back to our camp site via an Intermarché Hyper at Argèles-sur-Mer to grab a few bits to nibble and to get a 9month birthday prezzie for Loup, which transpired to be a fresh sardine - all 49 cents worth.
    Back at camp we walked the campsite with Loup and then headed back to Rox to eat. Apart from the sardine and his normal food, Loup did acquire some very fresh, large, sweet crevettes, those Tre and I couldn’t manage.
    Another day done with slightly less incident. Tomorrow we think we head to Spain.

    Our song of the day is:
    Foo Fighters - Everlong (Andy’s choice)

    Todays album never heard before in its entirety is:
    Nirvana - Nevermind (Our Rating 4/10)    Read more

  • Andy and Teresa MaysTo Perpignan & Beyond . . .
    Day 4–5

    Day 04 18.04 . . . Snow, What Snow!!

    April 18 in France ⋅ ☁️ 1 °C

    Loup was awake just before 7am and so the dog walk was no more than ten minutes later.
    As we were leaving the site today, we decided to make tea and coffee to go and get brekkie on route . . . As Andorra was our destination with a hotel overnight . . . well that was the plan.
    We grabbed brekkie from a local boulangerie and then returned to site to pay our fees, no-one was in the office when we were about to leave the first time!!
    Straight on the road to Andorra, sweeping back past Perpignan and then generally towards the mountains with an expected 3.5hr journey.
    Album of the day Joy Division - final track ‘I remember Nothing’. . . Is exactly how you could sum up that album. No more to be said on that one.
    The scenery got better and better as we moved towards our destination with Tre taking all manner of photos from the van window. We stopped briefly for a leg stretch for Loup then pushed on. We made one photo stop at the top of a valley where Tre got the collywobbles about me getting too close to the edge . . . it was miles away!
    As we approached Andorre as it says on the signs, the sun was shining and everything was fine with the world. We finally drove through the check point that actually confirmed we were in Andorre.
    Andorre La Vella was mega busy and built up, not as I remembered it from many many years ago Ona drunken ski holiday. We drove through and on into Encamp, which was really a slightly smaller version of Andorre La Vella so again not really what Tre and I had hoped for. We pushed in again to Canillo and found a small car park to stop and give Loup another leg stretch . . . and it was snowing, lovely little white flakes that had no way of settling, just looking pretty.
    I had before driving up here given Tre the benefit of my many years ski-ing experience and weather knowledge, that the season was until about end of March and so the only snow was on the peaks . . . There really was no need for special tyres or snow chains.
    We had also not booked the hotel last night as we wanted to have a bit of a look around when we got here. So we now got on our phones to look for hotels nearby, only to find neither of us had any data or signal - and the only message to arrive on my phone was from EE to say whilst in Andorra you have no data allowance.
    I was able to add a top up which we did, but still no signal. I realised I could message EE (the only people I could) and they told me the data I had purchased had run out - I won’t go into the conversation that then followed but we didn’t get any further data and I should be getting a refund.
    So - what to do? Door knock hotels looking for a room at the right price or drive 30kms back into France, get data, book hotel and chill.
    So we ploughed on with the snow that was falling getting heavier and the skies turning ever more grey towards France.
    We had an option of toll road or non toll road - taking another lead from the Simon Annals rule book we opted for cheap and no tolls. We drive about a mile steeply uphill when I found myself saying to Tre ‘I’m not sure this is the right thing to do. This is a mountain road up and over the top the toll road is a tunnel through!!’ Tre didn’t need convincing and back and till paid we headed through the tunnel and past the sign saying ‘Caution Snow In Exiting The Tunnel’. At the other end we hit sunshine for about five minutes until we hit the border crossing at which point someone hit the ‘Let’s Show The Twat That It Snows In April’ button. The snow began to fall and sweep across the hairpin bend roads, settling all at the same time. It was effectively a white out and I was only pleased Tre couldn’t see the edges and also didn’t realised my calm attitude was nothing like how I was feeling. The only comfort I took from driving so slowly was that the cars behind me had no intention of trying to catch me up or overtake - so I wasn’t the only one caught out. These conditions continued for what seemed like an age, with Tre telling me I only had 20kms to go to the now with data as back in France, booked hotel. So it kept snowing and blowing a hooooley forever. As we descended we passed a police road block preventing people from travelling from where we had come. Tre took no photos of the worst of the weather as she tried desperately not to look out of the windows on the descent.
    Finally we cleared the weather and drove about another 20 minutes to our hotel - both of us glad to arrive, to get out of the van and away from the weather.
    We must be close to the record for passing from France to Spain to Andorra to France in the quickest time. Not at all what we had planned and the weather a World away from yesterdays!
    Once at the hotel we then had a nightmare walk into town with the mutt, who was on his very poorest behaviour. Finally grabbed pizza from down the road and a couple of glasses of wine and we called it a night.

    Our song of the day is:
    What A Difference A Day Makes - Dina Washington (Tre’s choice)

    Todays album never heard before in its entirety is:
    Joy Division - Unknown Pleasure (Our Rating 2/10)    Read more

  • Andy and Teresa MaysTo Perpignan & Beyond . . .
    Day 5–6

    Day 05 19.04 . . . Jim Nooone!

    April 19 in France ⋅ 🌙 -1 °C

    Well after a walk from hell to town last evening, Loup then delivered the night from hell at the hotel, pacing all night and hopping on and off the bed.
    Suffice to say with very very little sleep I was up and out the door to walk him in the dark at 6am. Due to our location it was a bit fresh and all the car windscreens were iced up.
    Today was a travel sort of day with a stop off towards the end to see a very old mate, but we hoped to make Rocamadour for the night.
    We left the hotel about just gone 9am after breakfast and headed generally towards Toulouse. The scenery on route was spectacular again and we were treated to glorious sunshine to see it in.
    We skirted past Toulouse and on generally toward Cahors on the toll roads.
    Our only stop at one services saw us being told by the Gendarmes to move our van as we were in a lorry bay. Three other cars were also in the ‘lorry’ bays and what was so confusing was the height restriction to the section we were in was too low for lorries . . . Go figure!!
    At 1.30pm we pulled into the address of one
    Mr James Noone who greeted us with his unmistakeable Irish twang.
    We think the last time we saw each other was 2015 and before that we have no idea, but we spent many fun pack years together way back in my Gatwick Airport days and my life at Slaugham Manor.
    We spent a really lovely couple of hours in the sunshine of his fab house, eating lunch and having one little beer - Teresa weighed into the wine of course as not driving 😂
    Before we left Tre had to go and see the Donkeys ‘Blossom and Clementine’ and fed them their apples and carrots. We still aren’t getting any!!
    The time passed too quickly before we said our goodbyes (now laden with fresh eggs and Irish sausage) and headed north once again.
    We arrived on the outskirts of Rocamadour at about 7pm to see the town in still lovely evening sunshine. It really is a sight to see and almost unbelievable that the place has been built like this. After photos were taken driving in, we found our base for the night which was in the Chateau car park . . . Get us. We sat and ate and Loup had a run around. He has been so brilliant in the van all these days - just wish he would wise up to not pulling so much on the lead.
    We then went for a walk around the grounds before heading back to Rox to bed down for the night. Please Loup sleep tonight.

    Our song of the day is:
    That’s All I Wanted From You - Jalen Ngonda (Andy’s choice)

    Todays album never heard before in its entirety is:
    The Smiths - Meat Is Murder (Our Rating 4/10)    Read more

  • Andy and Teresa MaysTo Perpignan & Beyond . . .
    2
    Day 6

    Day 06 21.04 . . . Last leg Home

    April 20 in France ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    When Tre whispered to ask me what time it was (6.30am) it was all that was needed by Loup to let out a little whine, indicating he was also awake and needed his walk. We both got up and took him for a walk and visited the facilities. We had last night parked in the Chateau car park at Rocamadour for the princely sum of 19 Euros which we were still to pay. For this price we had a very large car park and access to the church grounds and rear of the church which stands at the top of the rock outcrop. Whilst on the walk the church bells rang for the first time this morning - 7am. We had been concerned at 10.00pm last night when they were still ringing, that they would ring throughout the night - thankfully not.
    The Sanctuary of Rocamadour has been an important pilgrim destination for centuries. The Sanctuary is made up of a group of beautiful buildings in a cluster halfway up the rock face and with stunning views over the village and the valley.
    Legend has it that Rocamadour was home to a hermit, Zaccheus of Jericho, who is said to have personally spoken to Jesus. He died in 70AD and was buried at Rocamadour. The Virgin Mary was worshipped in Rocamadour from the 9th century but in 1166 a perfectly preserved body was found which was said by some to be Zaccheus and by others to be Saint Amadour, a hermit who lived in the caves.
Either way the discovery caused the pilgrims to come flocking and Rocamadour became a major pilgrim destination. The body was found with a black wooden statue which has since been linked to many miracles and the Black Madonna attracts many pilgrims including, in the past, King Louis XI of France and King Henry II of England.
During the Middle Ages Rocamadour was the third most important pilgrim destination in the world after the Holy Land and Santiago de Compostela. It still receives around one million pilgrims each year.
    Walk ended we packed up our belongings and headed to the exit. Tre quickly found that the two main pay machines were not in service, which caused some anxiety for us as no staff were on site. We then saw a further machine right by the exit barrier. Tre waved the ticket at the machine and as we know miracles do happen - as says the church, for the barrier lifted and I drove Rox out . . . . No overnight payment required it would appear!!
    We then drove mainly north on the A20, skirting Brive-La-Gaillarde and then bypassing Limoges. We were again spoilt by stunning scenery, beautiful villages and small towns along the route.
    We had decided to make one stop on our 3 hour trip home, which we made at a services to give Loup a run around. Shortly after being back on the road I realised we weren’t going to make it all the way home without further fuel . . . so another quick stop was required . . . . muppet!
    From Limoges we headed north west towards Civray, where we stopped to grab some food for when we got home. Then it was a 20 minute jaunt back to our little place.
    The weather had been glorious on the drive home and so it was when we pulled onto the driveway of our little place. Loup was thrilled to be running around the garden again and checking everything was where and how he had left it.
    The garden was definitely more green than when we left and all of the plum trees showed first signs of fruit - even the pom pom tree was in bloom when there hadn’t even been a bud in sight when we left.
    We had the most brilliant time on the road, if not a little tiring - especially with Loup, and we saw some amazing scenery and architecture . . . but it was lovely to be home.
    Not long before we go on another little adventure - France to the UK for a festival and family visits, then back to France and onto Italy . . . this time with Mr & Mrs Annals - which could be messy!

    Our song of the day is:
Little White Lies (Long Version) - Michael Kiwanuka (Tre’s choice)

    Todays album never heard before in its entirety is:
The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers (Our Rating 8/10)    Read more

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